Nutrition and Your Workout

Last month I was out having food and drinks for my friend's birthday. I'm not much of a drinker anymore. I had a few beers and tons of food. I didn't wake up with a hangover the next morning since I drank water in between. But, I did feel it Monday morning, especially when I weighed myself. Was it worth it? Yes! I had such a great time with my husband and friends.

During dinner a topic came up about talking to strangers. So, where am I going with this and why does this feel like it has nothing to do with the subject line?  I always try to be courteous to others. That applies at the gym, too; with other members, front desk, trainers, instructors, even locker room attendants. There is no end to what you can learn from different people. One of the front desk staff at my gym recently became one of the floor trainers. I was always amicable with Danny, made small talk while he was at the front desk. Now when he is on the floor in his blue shirt he is more than willing to help me train. He even offered to do a personalized plan for me. Equinox has different trainers. If they are wearing a black shirt they are working with someone one-on-one. If they are wearing a blue shirt they are working the floor and you can ask them for assistance. 

One day, a trainer in a black shirt stopped me. I was getting off of the treadmill and Angelo asked me if I was done with my workout. Social me continued the conversation with him and told him I was going to do abs to finish off my workout. He offered to do abs together. We did about 15 minutes of one of the toughest core workouts I've ever done. What's better is that he was impressed!  He said that his clients would've given up halfway through what I completed. He was so impressed that he offered to train with me. 

A couple of months later and we have trained together a handful of times. In the last two months I've learned more about fitness and nutrition than I've ever known before. I feel I owe it to you, my blog readers, to share the knowledge I've gained.

I always had a hard time eating first thing in the morning. I would

have my tea when I first woke up and didn't eat until I got to work. That's about 2-3 hours. Overnight your muscles are repairing, working. You can't allow your body to work that hard and not fuel it. You should have something to eat within the first hour of waking up. This is the time to have carbohydrates; oatmeal, cereal, toast. We are made to think that carbs are bad. Carbs give you energy. You also have the rest of the day to burn it off. An hour before your workout you should have your pre-workout meal. This should also contain a carb. The point behind it is to be able to make it through a tough workout, to not lose energy midway and to be able to push through until the 60th minute of that hour.

After my workout is when I have lunch since I workout during my lunch hour. This next meal should be eaten within an hour of completing a workout and should be high in protein.  Protein aids in muscle repair and promotes lean muscle mass. An active man should shoot for .8 - .10 grams of protein per day for each pound that he weighs. An active woman should shoot for .6 - .8 grams per each pound. If you are in between meals after your workout have a snack that is high in protein; almonds, boiled eggs, a protein bar is worst case scenario. Your dinner should also be high in protein and low in carbs. Have fish or chicken with vegetables.

Another one of my bad habits was snacking late at night. I mean well past 8 PM. That's not really good considering I'm normally in bed around 10 PM. The solution is casein protein.  Apparently it's so heavy that you won't want to eat anything after you drink it. Also, it takes your body a long time to digest it. While you're sleeping and your muscles are repairing you're digesting the protein you need. Win-win!

Time to re-do your meal plan y'all. You want to promote fat loss accompanied by lean muscle gains. Tweak your diet and let me know how it goes. I want to know how it makes you feel and what kind of results you get.

In good health,

Alana

Reducing Refined Sugar

"If you're still blogging I would love it if you wrote about low sugar eating plans. I'm having a hard time keeping my sugar intake down. I like to think I eat pretty healthy but then I realized that I just can't give up the refined sugars!"

I received my first blog topic request! This is really exciting for me because the reason why I started this in the first place is to help people. The request comes from a faithful reader and is someone near and dear to my heart. I asked for a rough layout of what this person eats on a daily basis.  I took into consideration what this person enjoys and tweaked. I think a lot of us can benefit from this because many convenient foods are high in sugar and/or extremely processed. Remember that this is a lifestyle change. So change one meal at a time.  

"For breakfast I rotate between yogurt, bagel with cream cheese, cereal, some sort of granola bar or eggs with bacon and potatoes."

Yogurt is good for you especially if you're female. Greek yogurt is your best bet because it typically has double the protein than regular yogurt. Just watch out for the ones that have added cornstarch. The cornstarch is used to thicken the consistency. If strained properly Greek yogurt doesn't need a thickener. Try it with a cereal that is high in fiber and low in sugar. If it has fruit in it the yogurt should be sweet enough. If you opt for plain yogurt add fresh berries along with the cereal. You'll feel fuller longer than if you eat just cereal, yogurt or a granola bar. If you want your eggs try it with a slice of cheese and tomato in a whole grain English muffin. You can also fill your English muffin with cream cheese, tomato and turkey bacon. When you want breakfast potatoes, accompany it with a veggie omelet.

"Lunch and dinner are usually home cooked but will include a starch."

Starch is not bad as long as it doesn't take up most of your plate. Your rule of thumb should be a quarter protein, a quarter starch and half vegetables. The type of starch matters, too. Rice is good, but have brown sometimes. Have whole wheat pasta instead of plain. Try Ezekiel, rye or pita bread instead of white or wheat.

"I've been drinking a glass of chocolate milk to curb the sweet tooth about 3 times a week."

I have a better idea. Eat fresh fruit. You can satisfy the craving for something sweet and add a serving of fruit to your diet. If it's after dinner and it's later in the evening have a cup of herbal tea with a teaspoon of honey.

"I have the biggest sweet tooth. I end up snacking on crap after lunch and dinner; a cookie, gummy bears, chocolate, etc."

Snacks like that are empty, meaning there is no nutritional value. Get rid of these foods in your house. You shouldn't even give yourself access to this stuff. Clean out your fridge and pantry. Keep healthier snacks around. When you snack like this you're probably not hungry. There are two parts to this habit. One side is physically eating and the other is the craving for something sweet after a meal. This lines up with eating fresh fruit. Have it as part of your meal. Truth is we can all use something sweet sometimes. Try dark chocolate covered almonds or a raw nut mix and toss dark chocolate chips into it. Have you seen the new frozen Greek yogurts? Try them, they are delicious. You are giving in, but at least there are nutritional benefits.

The key to this is meal planning and food shopping. Groceries should be bought once a week. One, you won't want to waste it so that will be the food you prep and the snacks you grab for. Two, it's a way to add variety into your diet so that you don't get bored. Keep in mind that when I say "diet" I don't mean a temporary eating plan. I mean your new way of healthy eating.

"It's the sweet tooth! The truth of the matter is I HAVE NO SELF CONTROL! And I LOVE FOOD!"

We are supposed to love food. You need food. Food is fuel. You should not go hungry. Keep a food journal to keep track of how often you indulge. This is real life so the cookies and the gummy bears will always be there. Just limit yourself. I allow myself to indulge every 4 days or so. If there is a special occasion coming up I plan for it. For example, my husband, my son and I love pizza. We'll usually have it on Fridays. But if we have a kid's birthday party during the weekend we'll keep Friday's dinner healthy. Baby steps y'all!

In good health,

Alana

What's Your Motivation?

The other morning my pregnant coworker asked me, "After I have this baby can you MAKE me go to the gym?"  My answer was, "I can't MAKE you do anything.  But, I will definitely help motivate you."

So often something motivates us to start something healthy. It might be a new year's resolution, bathing suit season around the corner, your doctor saying you need to improve your health, or friends getting fit. How long do these resolutions last? How do you avoid gaining extra weight in the first place? If you see your doctor once a year, how do you continue to remind yourself that you have to improve your health? Your friends may lose motivation. Does that mean that you should stop, too?

We've had a few warm days here in NYC. Year after year I see the same thing. Women, girls in last year's spring clothing that are too tight. Winter weight... The cold weather kicks off with a holiday filled with candy for the younger ones and booze for the older ones; Halloween. We allow ourselves the cheat convincing ourselves that we are being festive. Then follows Thanksgiving. Not to mention Thanksgiving Eve is one of, if not THE biggest party night of the year. Booze followed by giving yourself a cheat DAY when it should just be a cheat meal. By the time Christmas and New Year's roll around you've probably given up on trying to be "good". During the winter we also wear thicker, looser clothes. We eat more foods that comfort us in the cold weather. Then, we lose sight of our weight and our physique. We give up on what we were working on. 

Have you cheated and it wasn't worth it? We need to understand that just because we fall off one day here or two days there it doesn't mean we failed. Don't crucify yourself! What's important is forgiving yourself and getting back on. It is going to happen! Getting healthy is a lifestyle change in our real world. Things are going to get in the way; long hours at work, chores at home, dedicated time to your spouse, dedicated time to the kids, making time for friends. But, it's not a fad diet and it's not temporary. What starts as motivation should eventually become habit. These changes need to be made at your own pace. The idea is to be better than yourself NOT someone else. Create goals for yourself; short term and long term. One of my long term goals is to run a marathon. To achieve this goal, I have set short term goals for myself. Before the end of this year I will run a 10k race. Some time next year, I should be ready to run a half marathon. You get the idea. If getting fit is something new for you, your short term goal might be to walk for 20 minutes on a daily basis. Your long term goal might be to able to run a mile without stopping. Then you would build on that.

What happens when you lose motivation? You don't see results fast enough. You don't think you are reaping the benefits. Surround yourself with people that have similar goals as you. Keep each other up to date on your progress. That is motivation by itself. This is also one of the reasons that keeping a food and activity journal is so important, including your daily weight. There was a week that I felt exhausted.  At first I couldn't figure out why I was feeling that way, especially since it wasn't that time of my cycle. I looked through my journal and it was becase I wasn't eating right. After a couple of days of being back on track my energy level returned. My food and activity journal has also been able to tell me what foods make me bloated, make me put on extra weight very quickly and what helps me get back on track quickly.

I hear people talk about working on their summer body. That's not what I'm working on. I'm working on my every-season body, my healthy body, my fit-and-strong body, my I'm-a-mom-that-can-keep-up-with-my-two-year-old body, my I'm-a-wife-that-can-lift-with-my-husband body, my I-can-do-a-whole-insanity-workout-without-stopping body, my 5k body, my 10k body, my body that I only get one of and I'm taking care of it as best as I can. What body are you working on? What's your motivation?

In good health,

Alana

Not a Liquid Detox

A few people have asked me if I've ever done a detox before. My answer is yes, but it wasn't a liquid detox and I ate food. The response is first hesitation then it's relief.  For those of you that eat clean, this will look really familiar. For those of you that might be interested in trying this, it's totally doable. Two things will make it successful; meal planning with food shopping and easing into it. A week before you strictly do the detox start experimenting with meal ideas and slowly start removing the mentioned foods from your everyday diet. Don't tell yourself that you can't have these foods. Tell yourself that it will be a reward for doing something good for yourself when you're done.

The main rules are:

• No red meat - beef, pork, lamb, etc.
• No processed foods
• No sugar
• No caffeine except for green tea
• No cow's milk products
• No wheat, no gluten
• No alcohol

What you can have:

• Seafood, chicken and tofu - as natural and least treated as possible
• Tons of fresh fruits and vegetables - go organic if you can
• Honey as a sweetener
• Start every day with warm lemon water
• Green and herbal teas, natural fruit and vegetable juices and water of course
• Dairy such as soy milk, almond milk, soy yogurt, soy cheese, feta cheese, Romano cheese
• Brown or white rice, gluten free pasta, gluten free bread
• Oats
• Oil and vinegar for dressing (add a squeeze of lemon for more flavor)
• Olive oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil
• Dried fruit, raw nuts

You should aim to do this for 4 weeks to really reap the benefits. If you make it to two weeks and fall off, just get back and finish up the remaining time. The first few days will be the toughest. You may feel tired, bloated, constipated and may even get headaches. But once you get past the hump you will see improvements like better digestion, increased energy, good complexion and maybe even weight loss. Another reason why you should aim for 4 weeks is to make eating clean more routine and part of your lifestyle. After the 4 weeks is up slowly introduce foods back into your diet one at a time.

If you have questions, need meal ideas and/or if you try it let me know how it goes. Email me at Alana.P.Medina@gmail.com

In good health,

Alana

Relationships

How is everyone doing? I've been really busy this past week! I'm feeling romantic. Welcome to a different side of me. Here is a little something about a different type of health; relationships. Health is not just eating well and staying active. There are plenty of different aspects and our relationships are one of them. Our ideals are changing in this fast-paced high-tech world.

I recently read that social media has increased the number of relationships a person maintains but it has lowered the quality of each relationship. Through technology we are able to keep up with more of our family, friends and colleagues. But, how solid are these bonds? I think we forget to nurture some of these relationships that should be stronger than what they are. How often do you post something on Facebook and not tell your closest friends one-on-one thinking "oh, they'll see my post"? How often have you found something out about someone you would consider close to you through one of these posts when everyone else finds out at the same time?

Instagram: abels_mom

One rule my husband and I have is no phones during the meals that we eat together. This is a strict rule whether we are at home or eating out. I've seen it too frequently. Two people out to eat not speaking to each other but on their smart phones. Sometimes it's two friends and sometimes it's a couple. Not too long ago we were at my nephew's first birthday party. I was sitting at a table with my closest cousins. At least four of them were looking at their phones. You have some of your closest family right in front of you. What about nurturing these relationships since you have the chance? I got up from the table and said "since you guys are busy..."

Don't get me wrong. Technology like FaceTime and Skype can be incredible. My sister and stepmother live in the Philippines. It's great that we can see each other and have a live conversation on Skype. They also get to see my son grow. My brother studies out of state and we miss each other. FaceTime is such a nice way of talking and seeing the other person's face. My best friend from high school moved away to Michigan. Every month or so we make a Skype date. I don't have to follow her Facebook feed!

With the cameras on our smart phones having such a good quality we're tempted to capture everything. I mean, it's so easy. I've learned that sometimes you just have to put the phone or camera down and just enjoy the moment and be in it 100%. I follow this rule especially with my son. I love taking pictures of him. But he knows when my attention is divided.

We use our phones for so many things; email, calendar, camera, alarm clock, weather, bank account, to do lists, web, twitter, Facebook, Instagram, google+. I can go on and on. And we're tempted so often to pick up our phone whenever something comes to mind. Here is my challenge for you. When you get home from work don't pick up your phone until the kids are down. Eat your meals without your phones at the table. Call a close friend whose feed you follow on Facebook. Make a date with that person! 

In good health,
Alana

My son Abel

Meal Ideas and Recipes

Good morning y'all!  It is a rainy morning here in New York City.  There were plenty of unhappy faces on the train today.  I don't mind though, we need the rain.  It makes our plants grow and I feel like it cleans everything.  All of the leftover black snow gets washed away!  Here are lunch and dinner meal ideas that can be interchangeable.  I'll also list some ideas that are appropriate for the Big Apple.  Those of you that live and/or work here will know what I mean with all of the cafes that have a huge selection and Halal trucks everywhere.  I'm not going to list the obvious choices like salad variations.  Not all of these suggestions will be the cleanest choices.  But, like I've mentioned before, this is real life and we're just trying to make it!  I cook for two to three people on a daily basis.  I prefer to cook for my family rather than order in.  It's the healthiest thing I can do for us.  Some of these recipes will have leftovers that are actually good as leftovers.  

• Turkey burger with a side salad
• Udon soup with vegetables and no noodles
• Roll turkey, cheese and lettuce with a little whole grain mustard inside
• Small order of chicken and rice with vegetables, red sauce, and no white sauce
• Falafel with no pita over a salad 

For dinner we normally do fish or chicken breast with a vegetable and a potato.  The protein is marinated and cooked in a dry pan.  Vegetables are normally steamed.  If you're trying to cut carbs you can remove the potato all together.

• Marinate tilapia fillets with olive oil, lemon, parsley (I used dried herbs because it's easier for me), ground sea salt and ground black pepper
• Marinate salmon fillets with olive oil, orange, cilantro, ground sea salt and ground black pepper
• Marinate chicken breast in olive oil, lemon, oregano, ground sea salt and ground black pepper and let it sit overnight.  It comes out so tender! 

Roasted potatoes: Dice potatoes with the skin on, mix with olive oil to lightly coat, crushed garlic, parsley, ground sea salt and ground black pepper.  Spread it on a tray, cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes.  Remove the foil and broil for a few minutes to brown the potatoes.

Sweet potatoes: Dice sweet potatoes with the skin on.  Grease the bottom of a tray with olive oil.  Bake them clean for 40 minutes.

Brussel Sprouts: Cut each sprout in half and mix with olive oil to lightly coat and ground sea salt and ground black pepper.  Broil them for about 20 minutes.  Watch it while it's cooking.  You may have to stir them around to avoid burning them.

The other day my husband was eating fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp.  It looked so good!  This is what I made myself to satisfy my cheesy pasta craving: In a pan add a little olive oil, saute a clove of garlic, handful of baby spinach, and shrimp (add what you like).  Once that's almost done, add a cup of gluten free pasta.  Season with basil, ground sea salt and ground black pepper.  Then sprinkle feta cheese over the top.

My version of an open burrito: In a large pan add a little olive oil, saute a diced onion, add a pound of ground turkey until it's cooked, add a can of rinsed black beans and a can of drained corn (frozen works, too!), season with ground sea salt, ground black pepper, cilantro and oregano to taste.  Garnish with cheddar, guacamole or an over easy egg!  This makes about 4 servings.

This is the cleanest version of my lasagna that I came up with without sacrificing flavor: For the sauce, in a pot add a little olive oil, saute 4 cloves garlic, add one large can tomato sauce, one small can tomato paste, one cup of water and spinach (a frozen box of chopped or a bag of baby).  Season with oregano, basil and 4 bay leaves.  In a pan add a little olive oil and saute a chopped onion, chopped red and green bell peppers.  Add a pound of ground turkey till it's cooked.  Season with ground seal salt and ground black pepper.  Combine the sauce and the turkey meat and let it cook together for a few minutes.  In an 8x13 tray layer as follows; a little sauce to coat the bottom of the tray, gluten free lasagna pasta (about 3 strips should do it), sauce, skim ricotta, skim mozzarella and Parmesan if you want.  Then repeat starting with the pasta.  When you are done layering cover the tray with foil.  Bake at 350* for 20 minutes.  Then, remove the cover and broil it until the cheese is bubbling and melted.  Let it cool for a little while before you cut it.  This is one of my favorite leftovers to bring for lunch!  You can also use the sauce over gluten free pasta.

I hope some of these ideas bring variation into your diet.  Eating clean does not have to be boring!  It can be hearty, comforting and delicious.  I also hope that you try some of these recipes.  Let me know how it goes!  Until next time...

In good health,
Alana

Making Better Choices

I went to grab lunch with a coworker one day. It had to be quick because it was a busy day. So, we went to McDonalds. Keep in mind, at the time I was still eating regular bread. She ordered one of the angus burgers with fries and a soda. I ordered a classic grilled chicken sandwich with honey mustard (it comes on a honey wheat bun and I never get mayo). I also ordered a side salad instead of fries. To drink I had an unsweetened iced tea. I hate wasting money on buying bottled water. Otherwise, that probably would have been the drink I ordered. Yes, I think it's a waste in more ways than one. Anyway, how often do you go out to eat and make the wrong choices? People crucify McDonalds. But the choice is yours. They know they are fast food. They are not trying to fool anyone. So, why believe the media hype? If you're going out to eat to replace a meal you would normally eat at home then you should eat as if you were eating at home. In our fast-paced-both-parents-work-world eating out happens multiple times a week. Rule of thumb is to indulge or "cheat" only if you're celebrating something. I always remind myself how junk food makes me feel. I'm sure that's happened to you, right? You finish eating and you feel like crap because what you ate was crap.

Once you start to eat cleaner your body will stop craving the foods that are not good for you. Your body will also stop accepting those types of foods. For example, if you are a big carb eater you're body will go through withdrawal when you start to minimize it in your diet. Your body will look for it and you may even get headaches the way you would if you were cutting caffeine. After the first few days that feeling will pass.

Another way to make sure you are making a better choice is to meal prep. Over the weekend I do a ton of meal prepping for my family. I set lunch for my husband and I. I portion out dinners for my son. And I make sure he has enough fresh fruit when he wants a snack. I also prep the vegetables that go with our dinner, especially the ones that take a little longer to cook like brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes. Make sure your pantry and fridge/freezer are stocked with the right foods; fresh fruit and vegetables, real fruit juice, seltzer water, olive oil, brown rice, gluten free pasta, gluten free bread, oats, honey, rice cakes, dried fruit, raw nuts, hummus, tortilla chips, salsa, guacamole, frozen vegetables, fish fillets, ground turkey, canned vegetables like beans and corn. Stock up with good food that will satisfy any of your cravings. You shouldn't go hungry. Just eat the right foods.  Get rid of all the garbage. If you don't give yourself access to it you won't be tempted to have it.

Sometimes you need more motivation than a self reminder. Instagram is one of my inspirations. Look for me @abels_mom - I follow a ton of men and women that are healthy and fit or trying to get there. It reminds me of what I am trying to accomplish. My feed is full of fitspo. You also have to read! Go online or subscribe to health magazines. When I'm tempted to skip the gym or eat something that I consider a cheat I pick up a fitness magazine. As you become more savvy the information in the magazines may seem redundant. But I'm sure it'll stop you from eating that cookie. Seeing a picture of the cover model will make you get up and get your workout done. Have you ever regretted a workout after you completed it? I didn't think so!

I will give you lunch and dinner ideas in my next post. I hope that makes you look forward to the next one. And I hope even more that you use the ideas I give you! Stay tuned...

In good health,

Alana